8. Nov. 06, 01:03
Defining Diversity and Culture
[p.122] "Diversity is a state of heterogenity in societies and organizations; that is people are different from each other with respect to demographic variables as well as cultural heritage." At the workplace diversity can occur in different forms. Thus they classify differences as "objective and verfiable" which would, for example, include age, race, gender as well as aspects of profession and economy-based lifestyle. Other differences could be regarded as "subjective and subtle" relating to attitudes and values, as well as various aspects of profession and economy-based lifestyle. The objective level would relate to the different tasks engineers and accountants execute, while the subjective level would refer to their different conceptualizations of how organizations should work. Differences in economy-based lifestyles can be seen in the way people work, where they live, where they go on vacation (objective level) and on the subjective level how they think money should be spend (on savings, on goods, ...) or how education is conceptualized (e.g. public vs. private schools), for example.
The authors later [p.125] define culture by the same means. There are objective elements, like tools and clothes, as well as subjective ones, like concepts, norms, and values. Based on Kluckhohn (1954) they state: "Culture is to society what memory is to individuals." Based on ways of perceiving, thinking and deciding that have worked in the past, common customs, standard procedures, and unstated assumptions are institutionalized and thus guide present behavior. Nevertheless, culture is not stable. It is "adaptive and functional, and allows a group of people who speak the same language to develop shared beliefs, attitudes, norms, roles, and values through transmission from generation to generation." Naturally, cultures are established based on a common language, geographical closeness and time (people had to be in the same place at the same time to communicate).
Corporate Strategies for Managing Diversity in the Global Workplace
by Dharm P.S. Bhawuk, Astrid Podsiadlowski, Jennifer Graf, and Harry C.Triandis
in: Gerald R. Ferris, M.Ronald Buckley, Donald B. Fedo. Human Resources Management - Perspectives, Context, Functions, and Outcomes. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 2002. 4th edition
The authors later [p.125] define culture by the same means. There are objective elements, like tools and clothes, as well as subjective ones, like concepts, norms, and values. Based on Kluckhohn (1954) they state: "Culture is to society what memory is to individuals." Based on ways of perceiving, thinking and deciding that have worked in the past, common customs, standard procedures, and unstated assumptions are institutionalized and thus guide present behavior. Nevertheless, culture is not stable. It is "adaptive and functional, and allows a group of people who speak the same language to develop shared beliefs, attitudes, norms, roles, and values through transmission from generation to generation." Naturally, cultures are established based on a common language, geographical closeness and time (people had to be in the same place at the same time to communicate).
Corporate Strategies for Managing Diversity in the Global Workplace
by Dharm P.S. Bhawuk, Astrid Podsiadlowski, Jennifer Graf, and Harry C.Triandis
in: Gerald R. Ferris, M.Ronald Buckley, Donald B. Fedo. Human Resources Management - Perspectives, Context, Functions, and Outcomes. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 2002. 4th edition
